USA > Illinois > Henry County > The biographical record of Henry County, Illinois > Part 35
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wild land into a good farm. His last days were spent in retirement from active labor at Sparland, where he died in 1896. His first wife, who was the mother of our sub- ject, passed away in 1870, and he was again married.
By the first union there were five chil- dren, namely: Sarepta, who is now her brother's housekeeper; Horace J., of this review; Mrs. Emma Duncan, a widow, who also resides with her brother; Electa, wife of George Joseph, of Peoria; and Sherman who successfully engaged in teaching school for five years, and is now with his brother on the farm. By his second marriage the father had two children: Harry, a resident of Kewanee, and Viola, wife of James Stin- son, of Hamlin, Indiana.
On the old homestead in Marshall county Horace J. Combs passed the days of his boyhood and youth, and early became familiar with all the duties which fall to the lot of the agriculturalist. On leaving the parental roof he engaged in farming upon rented land in that county for four years, and then purchased a farm there, consist- ing of one hundred and sixty acres, which he cultivated for several years. Selling that place in 1892 he purchased his present farm on section 10, Wethersfield township, Henry county, upon which he located the following year and which he has since successfully operated. He has remodeled the buildings and made other improvements upon the place. In connection with his general farm- ing he carries on stock raising, and in that branch of his business he has also prospered.
In his political views Mr. Combs is inde- pendent and supports the men whom he be- lieves best qualified for office regardless of party lines. He has never aspired to office but takes a deep and commendable interest
in public affairs. He and his sister Serepta hold membership in the Methodist Episcopal Church of Kewanee, while the other mem- bers of the family are either Baptists of Presbyterians in religious belief. Miss Combs is an active church worker and is now president of the Home Missionary So. ciety of Kewanee. The family is one of prominence in the community where they re- side and its members are held in high regard by all who know them.
JOHN WENKE.
Among the old and honored residents of Geneseo is John Wenke, who was for many years actively engaged in farming, but is now living a retired life in Geneseo. A na- tive of Germany, he was born in Oldenburg on the 14th of December, 1820, and is a son of Frederick and Anna (Myer) Wenke, who passed their entire lives in that coun- try. There our subject grew to manhood, and was married in Germany March 19, 1852, to Miss Helena Oltmanns, a daughter of John and Anna ( Koelke ) Oltmanns, who also made their home in Germany throughout life.
In 1850 Mr. Wenke crossed the briny deep, and on landing in New Orleans pro- ceeded up the Mississippi river to St. Louis, whence he came to Hampton, Illinois. The folowing year he returned to his native land and was married and in April. 1852, came back to America with his wife. When he returned to Hampton he purchased a farm and for thirty-nine years he was success- fully engaged in farming in Rock Island county. He purchased two hundred acres of unbroken prairie and timber land, for
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which he paid seven dollars per acre, and country. They were representatives of very after clearing the same he placed it under a high state of cultivation, converting the wild tract into a most desirable farm. This place he sold in 1890 for fifty-six dollars per acre, and then removed to Geneseo, where he has since lived a retired life, enjoy- ing the fruits of former toil.
Mr. and Mrs. Wenke have a family of five children living, namely : Johannah, wife of Rev. C. Seuel, living near Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Eliza, wife of Frederick Ras- tede, a merchant of Geneseo; John, who married Lena Oltmanns and lives on a farmi near Geneseo; Fred, who married Tillie Herges, and resides on the old homestead in Hampton, Illinois ; and Henry, a merchant, who married Emma Salto and makes his home in Geneseo. Two children died in in- fancy; Helen and one unnamed.
Mr. Wenke and his family hold mem. bership in the German Lutheran Church, and in politics he is identified with the Den- ocratic party. Wherever known he is held in high regard, and well merits the confi- dence and respect which he receives, for his life has been an upright, honorable and use- ful one.
WILLIAM D. HOHMANN, M. D.
Dr. Hohmann is engaged in the practice oi medicine and surgery in Kewanee, Illi- ucis, and has that love for and devotion to Ins profession which has brought to him success and won him a place among the ablest representatives of the medical frater- nity in Ilenry county. He was born in Cas- sel, Germany, September 18, 1867, a son of William M. and Sophia ( Volkmar ) Holi- mann, who spent their entire lives in that
old and highly respected families, the Doc- tor's maternal ancestors being manufac- turing and mercantile people. His paternal grandfather, John Hohmann, served in the German army during the Napoleonic wars, and during the latter part of his military career was superintendent of the military prison at Cassel, Germany. He died in that country in 1868. William M. Hohmann, the doctor's father, was a machinist by trade, and followed that vocation through- out life, mostly in the employ of the govern- ment. During the Franco-Prussian war he had charge of the round house of the gov- ernment at Fulda, Germany, where he died in 1872, at the age of thirty-eight years. His wife long survived him, dying at Cas- sel, August 9, 1894. They were parents of six children, four of whom are still living, namely: J. H., a traveling man living in New York city; Louis, who is connected with the Whitlock Printing Press Manu- facturing Company, with headquarters at Derby, Connecticut; William D., our sub- ject; and Marie, a resident of Kansas City.
Dr. Hohmann received a good education at Hersfeld, Germany, and had an excel- lent knowledge of the English language prior to his emigration to America which materially assisted him in making his way rapidly in his adopted home. At the age of sixteen he crossed the Atlantic alone and took up his residence in Baltimore, Mary- land, where he secured a position in a drug store, working there uninterruptedly from 1883 until 1887. In September, 1885, he entered the Maryland College of Pharmacy, at the same time continuing his connection with the drug store. After graduating from that institution in 1887 he matricu- lated at the Baltimore Medical College in
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the fall of that year, and received the de- gree of M. D. on the 15th of April, 1890, having spent the last eight months in the Maryland General Hospital as resident student. He then engaged in the practice of medicine in Baltimore until the fall of 1891, when he came to Kewanee and opened an office. As a general practitioner he has secured a liberal patronage, but he also makes a specialty of skin diseases, in which lie took a post graduate course in Berlin at- tending the clinics of the Imperial Charities and other noted hospitals, his time mostly being spent in hard work. He is a member of Kewanee's Physician's Club, of which he has held office of secretary.
On the 7th of June, 1899. Dr. Hohmann was united in marriage with Miss Anna Frederickson, of Kewanee. In his social relations the doctor is a member of the blue lodge, chapter and commandery of the Ma sonic fraternity, the Knights of Pythias and the Modern Woodmen of America. In 1895 he returned to his native land, and spent five months delightfully in visiting Germany, France and many places of note in Europe. He possesses the broad culture which only travel can bring, and is one of the most pop- ular and prominent citizens of Kewanee.
ISAAC M. FLEET.
As an agriculturist this gentleman was for many years actively identified with the development and improvement of Henry county, and now after a useful and well- spent life is living retired in Geneseo. A native of New York, he was born in Suffolk county on the 28th of October, 1815, and is a son of Gilbert and Keziah ( Jarvis) Fleet. The father was born in Huntington, Long Island, and engaged in farming at
his birthplace throughout his active busi- ness life, dying there at the age of fifty-six years. His widow long survived him and lived to the advanced age of ninety-five years. In their family were four children, all born on Long Island, our subject being the oldest of the number and now the only survivor.
The boyhood and youth of our subject were passed under the parental roof, and he engaged in farming upon the old home- stead for some years. At the age of about twenty-eight he became interested in the casting trade from New York harbor, and followed that business for seven years, at the end of which time he sold his vessel and resumed farming upon the home place, where he continued to reside for several years.
In 1843 Mr. Fleet was married at Hunt- ington, Long Island, to Mrs. Susan Stratton, widow of Ustick V. Stratton and a daugh- ter of Eliphalet and Phcebe ( Ketchem) Oak- ley. Her father, who was a soldier of the war of 1812, spent his entire life in Suffolk county, Long Island, New York. For a few years he followed farming, then operat- ed both a flouring and woolen mill on Long Island, and for a great many years led the life of a sailor, running a coasting vessel from New York harbor. He finally built another flouring mill at Islip. Long Island, which he operated during the remainder of his life. He died at his home in Babylon, about 1867, at the age of eighty-one years, and his wife passed away in 1858, at the age of seventy-seven. Of their seven chil- dren Mrs. Fleet is the fifth in order of birth and the only one now living.
Seven children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Fleet, but Isaac M. and one unnamed died in infancy. The following still sur- vive: Gilbert, traveling salesman for the
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Wilson Buggy Company of Moline, Illinois, and a resident of that place. married Eliza Barton and has one son, Fred E. Eliphalet O., superintendent of a fruit farm in Ari- zona. married Ada Sneider, and has four children, James S., Ray B., Helen Josephine and Lawrence. Frances Elizabeth and Clara Augusta are both at home with their par- ents. Mortimer, superintendent of the farm at the state insane asylum at Hampton, Rock Island county, Illinois, married Miss Helen Richmond. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Fleet were all born in New York state ex- cept Mortimer, the youngest, who was born in Henry county, Illinois.
Selling his interests in the east in 1857, Mr. Fleet came to Henry county, Illinois, and purchased a quarter-section of wild land in Munson township, which he at once began to improve. Ile erected thereon a large and substantial farm house, barns and other buildings, and placed the entire farm under a high state of cultivation. Ile con- tinued to operate his land until 1897, when he removed to the city of Geneseo and pur- chased his present comfortable home on West Main street, where he is now living a retired life, enjoying the fruits of his early industry and surrounded by the comforts which he has so truly earned and richly de- serves. The Republican party finds in him a stanch supporter of its principles, and al- though he has never sought or held office, he is public spirited and an advocate of all measures that tend to improve or benefit the community in which he resides.
JOIIN II. RULE.
Numbered among the well-to-do farm- ers and highly esteemed citizens of Weth- ersfield township is John II. Rule, who
owns and operates a well-improved and valuable farm of one hundred and six- ty acres on section 23. A native of Illi- nois, he was born in Elmira township, Stark county, June 4. 1856. and is a son of John and Jone ( Hume) Rule, who were born, reared and married in Scot land and emigrated to America in 1852. They sailed from Liverpool, England, and landed in New York. After spending about six months in the Empire state they came to Illinois, and took up their residence in Stark county, where at first the father op- erated a rented farm. Subsequently he pur- chased one hundred and sixty acres of land in Bureau county, which he broke and placed urder cultivation, and later added to it au adjoining tract of eighty acres. About 1879 he bought the farm of one hundred and sixty acres in Wethersfield township, Henry coun- ty, where our subject now resides, it being all under cultivation at that time. There he continued to successfully engage in general farming and stock raising throughout the remainder of his life. He was a stanch sup -. porter of the Republican party and its prin- ciples, and was highly respected and es. teemed by all who knew him. He died in 1890, at the age of seventy-seven years, and his wife passed away. in 1892, at the age of seventy-two, the remains of both being in- terred at Almira, Illinois. They were the parents of eleven children, namely : Alex- ander, Jane, Mary, Charlotte, James, Will- iam, Robert, John, Catherine. Walter and Thomas.
John H. Rule was reared upon his fa- ther's farm, which he aided in operating as soon as old enough to be of any assistance. and thus acquired a good practical knowl- edge of agricultural pursuits. Ilis literary education was obtained in the country schools
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of the neighborhood. February 6, 1879. he was united in marriage with Miss Anna Longmate, a daughter of Tunnard and Susan (Brown) Longmate. By this union he has had five children, namely : Elsie J .. Bertha 1 .. , Robert F., John E. and Frank A., all living. Mrs. Rule died March 30, 1890, and for his second wife Mr. Rule married Emma Richardson, a daughter of Joseph and Mary ( Natress ) Richardson, and to them has been born one child, Mary E. Lillian, whose birth occurred January 30, 1896.
Mr. Rule owned and operated the old homestead until a short time ago, which is a well improved farm of one hundred and sixty acres on section 23, Wethersfield township, and in connection with its culti- vation he successfully engaged in stock raising. For eighteen years he owned and operated a steam thresher, doing a profitable business with it. He had on his farm a new and handsome residence, built in modern style of architecture, and supplied with all the conveniences and accessories of a city home. He owns four hundred and eighty acres in South Dakota. In his political affiliations Mr. Rule is a Republican, and he takes a deep and commendable interest in all enterprises which he believes will prove of public benefit.
ERICK ERICKSON.
This well-known expressman of Ke- wanee, Illinois, was born on the 28th of Sep- tember, 1845, in Bolnas, Sweden, of which place his parents, Erick and Betsy (Johnson) Erickson, were also natives. There the fa- ther followed farming throughout his active
business life, dying there at the age of sev- enty-eight years. His wife also died in Bolnas at the age of seventy-four. Their children were Erick, of this review: Jonas, who died at the age of twenty-five years; Olaf, who is engaged in the shoe business in Sweden; Betsy, who died at the age of four years ; and Peter, who died in Kewanee at the age of thirty-two.
Mr. Erickson is indebted to the public schools of his native land for his educa- tional privileges. He assisted his father in the operation of the home farm until four- teen years of age and then worked as a farm hand in Sweden until his emigration to this country in 1868. He sailed from Guttenberg, and after fourteen days spent upon the water landed in New York City, whence he proceeded at once to Altoona, Knox county, Illinois. After four days spent at that place he went to Peoria, and was engaged in railroad work between that city and Bushnell for about a month. He then returned to Altoona, where he was employed as a farm hand for four months, and at the end of that time came to Ke- wanee. Here he found employment in the coal mine of G. L. Platt, about a mile east of town, where he remained two years, and then worked on the farm of C. C. Blish, in Wethersfield township, for the same length of time. During the following year and a half lie was with Crawford & Gerhart, of Kewa- nee, and remained with his successor, A. F. Bigelow, for twenty-three years. Mr. Erick- son was with Mayhew Brothers a year and a half, and in 1900 bought the express line of J. R. Keggly, which he is now carrying on with good success, doing a general ex- press business.
On the 25th of October, 1876, Mr. Erickton married Miss Carrie Johnson, who
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was also born in Bolnas, Sweden, a daugh- ter of John and Engburg ( Peterson ) John- son, natives of the same place. The mother died in Sweden at the age of thirty-nine years, but the father is still living in that country at the age of seventy-five. By oc- cupation he is a laborer. The children born to Mr. and Mrs. Erickson are Adolphie, who lives at home and is engaged in the millin- ery business: Ernest, who is assisting his fa- ther in business : and Morris, who is attend- ing school. The family are members of the Swedish Lutheran Church, and are highly respected and esteemed by all who know them. In politics Mr. Erickson is a Repub- lican, and faithfully served his fellow citi- zens as tax collector in 1900.
JAMES WARREN
James Warren, deceased, was for many years one of the highly esteemed citizens ot Geneseo, Illinois. His early home was on the other side of the Atlantic, for he was born in county Clare, Ireland, in 1814, and was one of a family of thirteen children, whose parents never left the Emerald Isle and have long since been dead. His brother, Andrew, came to America and settled in Lima, Ohio.
Our subject spent the first thirteen years fo his life in his native land, and then re- solved to try his fortune in America. After his emigration to the new world he lived for seven years in the east, and then came to Henry county, Illinois, locating here long before the Rock Island railroad was built. His was the first house built in Geneseo, and he witnessed almost the entire develop- ment of this region, in the work of which he bore an important part. In early manhood
he engaged in farming, but spent the last forty years of his life in Geneseo.
On the 3d of October, 1887. Mr. War- ren was united in marriage with Miss Bridget Murray, also a native of county Clare. Ireland, and a daughter of Andrew and Mary ( Sullivan ) Murray, who were lifelong residents of that country. The mother died on Christmas day, 1898. but the father is still living. Their children were Kate, a resident of Ireland; Bridget, widow of our subject : Maggie, who is employed at the Geneseo House in Geneseo, Illinois; Anna, wife of Burford Howell, a barber of Geneseo; and two daughters, now deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Warren had two children, namely : James, who was born September 3. 1887, and is now living with his mother while attending school in Geneseo; and Mary, who died in infancy.
In religious belief Mr. Warren was a Catholic, and in politics was a Democrat. He died March 17. 1899, honored and re- spected by all who knew him. As one of the pioneer and representative citizens of Geneseo, he is certainly deserving of prom- inent mention in this volume.
DAVID L. PURVIANCE.
This well-known and highly respected citizen of Geneseo, was born near Paris, Preble county, Ohio, on the 4th of October? 1833, and is a son of Levi and Sophia ( Woods) Purviance. His paternal grandia- ther was David Purviance, one of the found- ers of the Christian Church in Kentucky, being engaged in preaching in that state and Ohio for many years. His death occurred in Ohio. The father was a native of Tennes- see and was a young man when he moved to
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the Buckeye state. He, too, became a minister of the Christian Church, and followed that sacred calling in Ohio for almost half a century. In 1856 he came to Henry county. Illinois, and for a time engaged in farming in Osco township, but returned to Ohio, where he died at the age of eighty-two years. His wife passed away in the same state. They were the parents of five children, of whom our subject is the youngest and only survivor; one died in infancy : Andrew made his home in Henry county for fifteen years. but spent his last days in Nebraska: Mary died at the age of twenty-one years: Sophia died at the age of six.
David L. Purviance received his educa- tion in the schools of Ohio, and after reach. ing man's estate he was engaged in general merchandising at New Paris for some years. Subsequently he was engaged in the dry goods business with his brother Andrew at Indianapolis, Indiana, for a short time, and then returned to Ohio. Disposing of his interests there the same year. he came to Illinois, in 1855, and located near what is now Morristown, Osco township, Henry county, where he followed farming for about seven years. He was next engaged in the grocery business at Morristown and in the fall of 1871 removed to Osco, where he also conducted a grocery store, and served as postmaster of the village for eighteen years under the administrations of Presidents Grant, Hayes, Garfield and Arthur. Closing out his store in 1890, he came to Geneseo. where he has resided ever since. He has not engaged in any active business for himself, and is at present employed in the wall pa- per store of Mr. Johnson on South Main street.
On the 2nd of June, 1853, Mr. Purvi- ance married Miss Hannah M. Morton, a
daughter of Thomas and Eleanor ( Schenck ) Morton, both natives of Ohio. Mrs. Pur- viance died November 2, 1875. leaving nine children, namely : Charles W., a merchant of Wyoming, Illinois; Thomas L., who is employed in the freight office of the Monon railroad at Chicago; Frank M., general agent for the American Stock Food Com- pany at Jacksonville, Illinois; Annie M .. wife of Albert Ankney, of Peoria; William (., station agent at Abingdon, Illinois; Nellie E., wife of Henry Bestor, a farmer of Osco township, this county; Kate, wife of D. O. Hinman, a farmer of Osco town- ship: Walter, an employe of Swift & Com- pany, packers, of Chicago; and Hannah L., a resident of Geneseo. Those of the family now deceased were Ella J., who died at the age of sixteen months ; George J., who died at the age of two months; and Winfield S., who died at the age of one year. Mr. Pur- viance was again married, July 31, 1890, his second union being with Mrs. Harriet Edwards, widow of Herbert R. Edwards. whose sketch appears on another page of this volume together with a more extended mention of herself and family. Mr. and Mrs. Purviance have a pleasant home on South Oakwood avenue, Geneseo, where they are surrounded by a large circle of friends and acquaintances, who esteem them highly for their sterling worth. During his residence in Osco township Mr. Purviance was a member and constant attendant of the Christian Church.
JAMES CAVANAGH.
The subject of this review is the owner of a well-improved and highly-cultivated farm of one hundred and sixty acres pleas-
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antly located on section 23, Wethersfield two years after his marriage he lived upon township, within six miles of Kewanee. He was born on an adjoining place, August 3%. 1844, and throughout life has been identi- fied with the interests of this county, and has done much to advance its welfare, es- pecially along agricultural lines.
Patrick Cavanagh, the father of our subject, was a native of county West Meath, Ireland, where he was reared upon a farm, and when a young man came to the United States, locating first in New York, where he learned the stone mason's trade, which he followed for some years. There he mar- ried Bridget Hunt, also of Irish birth, and in 1840 they came to Illinois. After spending two years at Almira, Stark county, they removed to Henry county, Mr. Cavanagh having previously purchased a small tract of land in Wethersfield township. It was a piece of unbroken prairie, on which he erected a log cabin, in which the family lived for a few years while he fenced the land and placed it under cultivation. He added to luis original purchase until he had three hundred and twenty acres in the home place, and also owned property elsewhere, becom- ing one of the substantial farmers of his community. Here he died August 27, 1884, and his wife passed away .August 17, 1886, both being laid to rest in St. Mary's cem .. ctery on the Cavanagh farm. They were the parents of six children, two sons and four daughters, all of whom reached years of maturity.
a part of the old homestead, and then lo- cated on the farm where he now resides. He has erected thereon a commodious and pleasant residence, good barns and other outbuildings, and now has one of the most desirable farms of its size in the community. As a farmer and stock raiser he has gained a well-merited success, and is to-day one of the well-to-do citizens of Wethersfield township.
Mr. and Mrs. Cavanagh are the parents of five children, namely : John P. and . Albert M., both of whom now hold business posi- tions in Kewanee, although the latter was formerly a school teacher; and James MI., Leroy D. and Lottie Ann, all at home. The family are communicants of the Catholic Church of Kewanee, and are people of the highest respectability. In early life Mr. Cavanagh supported the Democratic party. but is now a Republican in politics, but at local elections votes for man and not for party. He is public spirited and progressive and gives his aid to all enterprises for the public good.
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